Conveyer.



A. SWANSON.

GONVEYR,

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 23, 1912.

Patented June 24, 1913.-

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INVENTOR,

WITNESSES V wwe das

ATTCRNEY A. SWANSON.

GONVEYEB..

' APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1912. 1,065,746. Patented June 24, 1913.

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ATTORN EY tra sains AUGUST SWANSON, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

CONVEYER.

To all whom 15 may concern Be it known that I, AUGUST Swanson, a citizenof the United States, residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linnand State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Conveyor, of which thefollowing is a speciiication.

This invention has reference to improvements in conveyors, and itsobject is to provide a conveyer which may be used under conditionsordinarily destructive to parts of the conveyer, the present inventioncontemplating the use of readily replaceable parts where severelysubjected to chemical or other actions destructive in their nature, andat the same time producing a conveyer which will thoroughly propel thematerial being acted upon.

The conveyer of the present invention is particularly useful in starchfactories Where considerable acid is oftentimes present in the conveyerbox, and in the case of a screw conveyer or device of like character,the acid will attack the metal and soon destroy it, t-hus making thecost of repairs high. In the present invention the only parts which comeinto contact with the material to be conveyed are in the from of sheetmetal blades which may be readily and cheaply replaced, while theconstruction of the conveyer is such that the material is eHicientlymoved without liability of contaminating surrounding parts. Theactuating means for the conveyer may be placed at any convenient pointalong the conveyer and the stroke of the conveyer may be adjustedconveniently if such be desired.

The invention will be bestI understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, with the furtherunderstanding that while the drawings illustrato a form of the inventionwhich has given good service in practice, the invention is by no meansconfined to any exact conformity with the showing of the drawings, sincethe invention is susceptible of various changes and modifications whichmark no material departure from the salient fea? tures of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure l is a plan view of a portion of the conveyershowing the actuating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 ofFig. 1 with some parts shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a section onSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 23, 1912.

Patented June 24, 1913. Serial No. 711,137.

the line 3*?) of Fig. 2 with some parts omitted. Fig. t is a perspectiveview of one of the conveyer elements and a portion of the actuating rodupon which it is mounted.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a clearanceactuating member throughwhich a continuously traveling device imparts a reciprocatory motion tothe conveyer elements.`

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a trough l, which may be madeof suitable material, and is usually rectangular in cross section,although the particular shape of this trough is not material. The lengthof the trough will vary in accordance with the distance to which thematerial is to be conveyed.

The upper side of the conveyer trough is shown as open, and at suitablepoints bearing blocks 2 are secured to the upper edges of the sides ofthe trough in traversing' relation to the open top of the trough.Mounted in the bearings 2 is a rod 3 which may be substantially as longas the conveyer trough and extends centrally thereof at a point whichmay be somewhat. higher than the upper edges of the trough. Secured tothe side walls of the trough at any appropriate points are uprights 4,each extending to a higher point than the blocks 2 and at their upperends carrying bearings 5 capable of adjustment lengthwise of the troughby means of set screws 6.

The bearings 5 of one set of uprights 4 receive and sustain a shaft 7which may be considered as the power shaft of the con` veyer, and thisshaft extends entirely across the trough at a suitable distance abovethe same and may be held against longitudinal movement by suitable setcollars 8, while one end of the shaft extends appropriately beyond thecorresponding bearing and set collar and there receives a pulley 9, bymeans of which power may be applied to the shaft through a suitablebelt. The pulley 8 may be taken as indicative of any means of rotatingthe shaft, and as not conining the power means necessarily to a belt andpulley.

Mounted on the shaft 7 between the bearings 5 are two sprocket wheels10, ll, re-

spectively, these sprocket wheels being spaced one from the other aboutequi-distantly from the vertical plane of the longitudinal axis of therod 3, the conveyor being considered as installed. At an appropriatedist-ance from the uprights 4lsustaining` the shaft T are other uprights4L in all respects like the first-named uprights, and each carrying abearing` 5 similar to the bearings 5 betere mentioned. One bearingcarries a short shaft 12 having tast, thereto at the inner end ot thebearingl a sprocket wheel 1B in line with the sprocket wheel 10, whilethe other lifearing carries a shaft 1st having' at its inner end asprocket wheel in line with the sprocket wheel 1l. The adjacent innerends ot the shaitts 1Q and lll are spaced apart a distance equal to thespacing ot the sprocket wheels 10 and 11, and the sprocket wheels 13 and15 are siniilarl;7 spaced apart without an),rv shaft connection betweenthem. pijilied to the outer ends of the shafts 12 and 141 are setcollars 16, which in conjunction with the respective sprocket wheels 13and 1V hold the shafts against longitudinal movement in their hearings.

Vlhe sprocket wheels 10 and 18 are con nected b v an endless sprocketchain 17 and the sprocket wheels 11 and 15 are connected b v an endlesssprocket chain 18, these sprocket chains being` spaced apart as are. thesprocket wheels and travel at like speeds, since they are both driven bythe sprocket wheels mounted on the single shalt T.

i'lounted to slide on the upper edges et the side members of the troughis a iframe 19 ot flat torni rising 'troni a laterallyT eX- panded baseportion Q0 through which there is 'formed a passage 21 tor the rod 3, towhich the hase portion secured by a set screw Formed on the base portionare spaced .lugs for a purpose which will ln'esentli7 appear. The iframe19 is upright and from the rod 3 between the chains 17 and 18 aboutmidwajy of the distance be tween these chains, and is 'formed with anupright slot 2li extending `from the base 2O to near the upper end otthe trame and with a transverse slot intersecting the first` named slotand opening through one edge ot the traine 19. while the other edge otthe :traine is termed with an offset 2G containingq a continuation 2"?oit the slot 25, which continuation may be widened in the direction ofthe height oit the` frame.

Fitted to the slot 2st. is a block 28 elongated in the direction ot thelength of the slot 2t and shaped to embrace the side faces ot thevtraine 19 adjacent the slot. This block is connected b v a pin 29extending transversely through the hlock to corresponding links oit thesprocket chains 17 and 18. which links mayv be formed with eyes El) torthe reception of the pin 29.

Atiuoposc that power is applied to the shat` t 7 to cause it to rotateclockwise as viewed in 2, then the lower run of the sprocket chain willmove from right to lett, as indicated bv the arrow in Fig. Q. Since theblock. Q8 tast to the traine 19 in a manner that it cannot esca-petherefrom, although capable of moving` lengthwise of the slot 2li, t ieYtraine 19 and with it the rod 3 made tast. to the trame by the setscrews 9.2 will also move from right to lett as viewed in Fig. Q. rlhismovement continues until ultimately the shaft .7 is reached, but thissha'tt dees not interfiere with further movement et the trame 19, sincethe slot is so positioned that the shaft will enter the open end ot theslot and pass the slot. into the enlarged portion 27 ot the slot. itssoon as the shaft T has come into line with the slot Q4.; and is aboutto pass to the extension QT ot the slot the portions ot the chains 17and 1S attached to the block 28 begin to pass upwardly about the then'forward edge with the sprocket wheels 10 and 11 so that the block isforced to more upwardlvy along; the slot 2d, the trame 19 continuing'the tor ward movement until the block has reached the greatest extentoit travel ot the chains toward the lett. and then the block continuesupwardly al ong the slot 2st toward the upper end thereof as theportions ot the chains to which the block is attached move toward theupper runs, which in turn travel toward the right as viewed in Fig.

l 2, so that the frame 19 then is moved toward the right or in thereverse direction to that rst described. lV'Vhen the extension 26reaches the sprocket wheels 13 and 15, it simpl)v passes between thespaced ends ot the shafts 12l and 14: without interference and the bloei28 is caused to move downward in the slot 2li as the lower runs of thechains are reached. TWhen the traine 19 started on this nioven'ienttoward the right, the block 28 had already passed above the horizontalslet out ot the path ot the shaft 7, so that the escape oi this shaftfrom thei slot was not impeded. l

1`he continuous movement ot the chains 1T and 18 about the respectivesprocket wheels causes a reciprocatory movement to be imparted to thetraine 19 and by the latter to the rod 3, this reciprocatoia nievementbeing' in extent equal to the sjiacing ot the sprocket wheels withrespect to those portions oft' the sprocket wheels most disrtant one'from the other, or greater by the diameter of one sprocket wheel thanthe distance between the shatt l and the shafts 12 and 14.. lf a greateror lesser extent ot travel oi the rod 3 is desired, the uprights ecarrying the main shaft 7 or the sub shafts 12 and 14rinav be adjustedlengthn wise ot the trough in the proper direction and the chainslengthenee or shortened accordingly by the addition or removal ot'links.

The rod 3 carries an appropriate numher ot blocks 31 adjustable alongthe rod and held in adjusted positions by set screws Straddling eachblock B1 is a` pair et' arms 33 pivoted to the block by trunuions lcarried by the block and these arms have integral extensions 35, 36projecting in o-pposite directions lengthwise of the trough. The armsare held apart by spacers 37 and the extensions each terminate inupturned ends 38, 39, respectively. The point where the uprights 38 ofthe extensions 35 join them are traversed by a pivot bolt 40 extendingthrough side wings 41 ot an extension 42 of a blade 43. The extremitiesof the angle portions 39 of the extensions 36 are traversed by a pivotbolt 44 passed through side wings 45 of an extension 46 of a blade 47.By this means the blade 43 is pivoted to the extensions 35 close to thebody of the blade, while the blade 47 is pivoted to the angle portions39 at a point remote from the body of the blade and both blades aremounted outside the terminal portions of the respective extensions 35and 36. By this means both blades will trail when the rod 3 is moved inone direction. Vhen, however, the rod is moved in the other direction,both blades are stopped when at approximately right angles to the lengthof the extensions 35 and 36 by engagement with the respective angleportions 33 and 39. The body portion 20 of the frame 19 may also beprovided with trunnions 48 supporting arms 33 carrying a pair of blades43 and 47 the same as the blocks 31 and in such case the spreader 37between the arms 33 is lodged between the lugs 23 on the frame base 20so that excessive rocking of the carrier for the blades is prevented.While in the drawings but two pairs of blades 43, 47 are shown, it willbe understood that as many pairs of blades as are desired may beemployed. The blades are so located as to rest within the trough 1 andmay be of a height and breadth to substantially agree to thecross-sectional area of the portion ot the trough in which they arelocated, with the bottoms of the blades when in their active positionengaging the bottom of the trough. 'Ihe blade carriers are adjustedapart such a distance that a blade of one carrier will overlap thetravel of the adjacent blade of the next carrier, so as to engage andcarry forward material propelled by the other blade, all the blades inone direction of travel trailing and becoming active in the otherdirection ot' travel.

Should the acid employed when the device is used as a conveyer in astarch mill or under like conditions, attack the blades to an extent tobecome destructive thereto, the damaged blades are readily replaced bynew ones by the simple removal of the bolts 40 or 44, as the case maybe, when the device is again ready for operation as though no damage hadbeen done. The blades 43 and 47 may be readily stamped out of sheetmetal at slight cost, while the rest of the device is not liable todamage and will with stand long use without repairs.

It has been found in practice that the conveyer of the present inventionrequires materially less power for its actuation than a screw conveyer,and will consequently perform much more work with the same power, whilesuch repairs as become necessary from time to time because of thecharacter of the material being treated are much more readily andcheaply made than is the case with a screw conveyer or other bulky typeof conveyer, and, moreover, the whole device is sufliciently flexible sotar as adjustments are concerned to adapt it to varying conditions,since the extent of travel of the conveyer for each reciprocation isreadily changeable without modification of the construction, furtherthan resetting of the bearing uprights and elongating or shortening thesprocket chains. By mounting' the rod 3 intermediate of the sides of theconveyer and providing spaced chains both acting simultaneously to drivethe rod, all side strains are avoided and the amount of power necessaryto drive the mechanism is correspondingly reduced.

Vhat is claimed is l. In a conveyer, a conveyer trough, a reciprocatoryrod extending lengthwise thereof, and spaced pairs of adjacent blades,each pair of blades having' a common mounting in turn carried by andmovable with the rod, the blades of each pair being mounted for trailingin one direction and actively operating in the other direction.

2. In a conveyer, a trough, a rod mounted thereon for longitudinalreciprocation, and conveyer elements carried by the rod and eachcomprising oppositely directed members extending lengthwise of theconveyer trough, and a readily removable pivoted blade carried by theouter end of each member in position to trail when the member is movedin one direction and become active when the member is moved in the otherdirection.

3. In a conveyer, provided with longitudinal reciprocatory rod, aconveyer element mounted on said rod for adjustment therealong andprovided with oppositely directed extensions longitudinal of the rod,each extension having at the outer end a pivoted blade movable totrailing posit-ion when the element travels in one direction and intoactive position when the element travels in the other direction.

4. In a conveyer, a conveyer trough, a reciprocatory rod extendinglengthwise thereof, a block carried by the rod and adjustablelongitudinally thereof, spaced arms pivotally connected to the block andprovided with oppositely directed portions extending lengthwise of theconveyer trough,

each of said portions terminating in upturned ends, and a conreyer bladeCarried by the outer end of each extended portion ot' the arms, oneblade being piifotall57 connested at substantially the outer ends of thenptnrned extensions and the other blade being pii'otallivv connected atsubstantial@y 'the junction oit the uptnrned ends with thecoiresponding` longitudinallyv extended portions oi" the arms.

in a conveyer, a eonreyer trough, a reciproca tory member movablelengthwise ot the conveyer trough, associated pairs of Conveyer bladesad apted to the trough, a carrier ooinnion to each pair ot conveyerblades and on which the latter are mounted for trailing' in onedirection of reciprocation, and snpports between the carrier andreciprocating member, the distance between the carriers beine' relatedto the extent of travel oi2 the reciprocating' member to cause theforward blade of a pair of blades on its forward movement to overlap therear limit of movement of the rear blade of the next preceding pair.

G. In a conveyer, a conveyer trough, reciproeatory blades therein forimpellinp,- material therethrough and means for reeiproeating' saidblades, each blade consisting of a plate with an end extension having'side ii'ings providing; means for the pivotal. support ont the. plate. i

In testimony, that l claim the oregoiiig as my own, .l have heretoaflixed mysigm ture in the presence ot two witnesses.

AUGUST SVANSON. Vilitnesses HUGH H. Gom, lV. C. STARING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, ID. C.

